Handout
Center for Civic Education

Ronald Reagan and Executive Power

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Article II of the United States Constitution grants Presidents executive powers in areas of international conflict, domestic and foreign policy. Using examples drawn from Ronald Reagan's presidency, class members are asked to consider...
Lesson Plan
Prestwick House

Author’s Purpose in Reagan’s “Tear Down This Wall” Speech

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
President Ronald Reagan's "Tear Down This Wall" speech, delivered on June 12, 1987 before the Berlin Wall, provides class members with an opportunity to examine three key aspects of informational text: author bias, the use of facts and...
Assessment
Fluence Learning

Writing About Informational Text The Berlin Wall

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
On June 26, 1963 President John F. Kennedy delivered his famous "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech close to the Berlin Wall at the Rudolph Wilde Platz. On June 12, 1987 President Ronald Reagan Delivered his famous "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down...
Lesson Plan
C-SPAN

Presidential Primary Challengers

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
A formidable opponent can shake up the election of an incumbent president. Class members explore the results of the elections of 1912, 1968, 1976, 1980 and 1992 using video clips. A chart helps pupils organize their thoughts and...
Lesson Plan
C-SPAN

Presidential Candidate Firsts

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Hilary Clinton may have been the first woman to run for president on a major party ticket, but she was only one example of an historic candidacy. Class members use video clips curated from C-SPAN to examine historical firsts in...
Activity
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John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum

Recipe for an Inaugural Address

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
An inaugural address represents the first moments of a new beginning. Using John F. Kennedy's speech as a model for guided practice, groups examine the ingredients of an inaugural address. Individuals then repeat the analysis...
Lesson Plan
2
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University of California

The End of the Cold War (1979-1991)

For Teachers 10th - 11th Standards
Scholars use primary and secondary documents, as well as video evidence, to investigate the end of the Cold War.  After completing the final installment of an eight-part series, class members better understand the issues surrounding...
Lesson Plan
C-SPAN

Evaluating Historical Presidential Campaign Ads

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Political ads flood the airwaves each election cycle. An activity including more than a dozen political ads from iconic presidential campaigns helps learners unpack how the sausage gets made during election "silly season." Using the...
Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

U.S. Foreign Policy and the Iran-Contra Affair: Was Oliver North a Patriot, a Pawn, or an Outlaw?

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
If you had to write a song about Oliver North, would it be a ballad or a dirge? If you had to put him on a trading card, would he be a hero or the bad guy? Young historians decide for themselves after examining documents from the...
Unit Plan
Australian National Schools Network

Civics and Citizenship

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
What is a good citizen? Here is a fantastic unit of ten lessons that will thoroughly cover the concept of civics and citizenship in your class. Examples of activities include learning stations, primary and secondary source analysis of...